LDN - Sports

Kings claim OT win on Pearson's goal

[January 04, 2017] SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Kings knew they needed to take care of business in consecutive games against the Sharks. Mission accomplished.

Tanner Pearson capped a two-on-one break with a goal 58 seconds into overtime and Los Angeles beat San Jose 2-1 on Tuesday night at sold-out SAP Center.

The victory over their Northern California rivals came three nights after beating the Sharks 3-2 on Saturday at Staples Center.

"That's big," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "We've been talking about these two games ever since we got out of Edmonton. We were looking forward to the challenge. We obviously love playing against these guys. It's a great rivalry and it was good to beat them both times."

Pearson tapped in Jeff Carter's cross-ice feed with only Sharks defenseman Justin Braun back as San Jose's Logan Couture committed a costly turnover moments earlier in the visitors' zone.

"We gave up a chance in overtime and they buried it," Couture said. "It's disappointing. We had a great opportunity (but) we didn't bring our best game. Give them credit, they played well. They took it to us at the start of both of these games."

The Kings tied the score 1-1 at 3:03 of the third period and 1:14 into their third power play of the game. Carter scored his 21st goal of the season -- and seventh in seven games -- by redirecting a shot-pass from defenseman Jake Muzzin after Braun hooked Carter.

"He's doing everything pretty well," Kings coach Darry Sutter said of Carter. "I can't remember the last time I didn't say that. He's on fire, and we need it obviously. He's really put a charge in the team."

The Sharks put 13 shots on Kings goaltender Peter Budaj in the third period, the same number they combined for in the first two periods. Los Angeles owned a 34-26 edge in shots through regulation.

San Jose was playing without one-third of their blue line as youngsters Mirco Mueller and Dylan DeMelo stepped in for injured vets Marc-Edouard Vlasic and David Schlemko.

"It's that time of the year when you take out guys we have out of the lineup," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "Everyone's dealing with injuries, but it changes your team. You've got to find a way to scratch and claw. It's not going to look great every night, and that's the reality of it."

The Sharks took a 1-0 lead into the third period on the strength of Couture's 12th goal of the season despite getting outplayed and outshot 24-13 after 40 minutes.

Rooke forward Kevin Labanc started the scoring sequence with a nice short pass from along the boards to spring Couture past pinching Kings defenseman Alec Martinez and across the Los Angeles line two-on-two.

Couture veered toward the slot to create more of a shooting angle and his wrister rolled up and under the right arm of Budaj at 11:56. The goal came on San Jose's 10th shot.

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Kings goalie Peter Budaj (31) cannot stop a goal shot by San Jose Sharks center Logan Couture (not pictured) during the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

"We're just not finishing right now, and really all season," Couture said. "It's tough to win in this league when you only score one."

"It's a rivalry, it's playoff hockey out there," said Sharks rookie Timo Meier, promoted to the top line for the third period. "There's not a lot of space, there's not a lot of time. You've just got to play the right way. It's a physical game against a team like that, you've got to fight for every inch on the ice. Those games are good to learn, but it's too bad we couldn't get the two points."

Couture just missed connecting with Joonas Donskoi earlier in the period. Couture picked off a Martinez clearing attempt and fed Donskoi, who slipped behind the Kings' defense but was denied in close by Budaj at 3:17.

Los Angeles thought it tied the score on the power play, but Kings forward Marian Gaborik was judged to have batted in a rebound of Martinez's wrist shot at 14:53.

The Kings had another golden chance inside the final 20 seconds, but Jones made a glove stop on Anze Kopitar, who went to the backhand on a short-handed breakaway after a Patrick Marleau turnover.

"They're good games," Carter said. "We know what we're getting into when we play them. We have some ground to make up on them and a lot of teams in our division. We really keyed on these games and good to get four."

NOTES: D Mirco Mueller was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League and made his season debut. Mueller had eight assists in 25 games with the Barracuda at the time of his recall. Mueller appeared in his first NHL game since San Jose's season finale April 9. He brought 50 games of experience spread over the last two years into the game. ... G Peter Budaj started his fifth straight game and appeared in his ninth of the Kings' last 10. He has two shutouts and has allowed two or fewer goals in all nine games. ... San Jose hosts Minnesota on Thursday. Los Angeles entertains Detroit the same night. ... The Kings were missing LW Tyler Toffoli (lower body) and G Jonathan Quick (groin). D Matt Greene, D Tom Gilbert and C Andy Andreoff were healthy scratches. ... D Dylan DeMelo replaced Schlemko and was paired with Mueller. LW Matt Nieto and C Tommy Wingels were healthy scratches for the Sharks.

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